132 PRINCIPLES OF BACTERIOLOGY 



The Skin of the Patient. This is washed thoroughly with warm, green 

 soap solution, then with alcohol, and finally with 1 : 1000 bichloride. 

 A compress wet with a 25 per cent, solution of green soap is now placed 

 on, covered with rubber tissue, and left for three to twelve hours; and 

 after its removal the skin is washed with ether, alcohol, and bichloride 

 solution, and then covered with a gauze compress previously moistened 

 with a 1 : 1000 bichloride of mercury solution. At the operation the 

 skin is again scrubbed with green soap solution followed by ether, 

 alcohol, and then with the bichloride of mercury solution. In some 

 places the bichloride compress is replaced one hour before the opera- 

 tion by a pad wet in 10 per cent, solution of formalin. 



The Hands. Fiirbinger's method, slightly modified, is now much 

 used, and gives good results. The hands are washed in hot soap and 

 water for five minutes, using the nail brush. They are then soaked in 

 alcohol for one minute and scrubbed with a sterile brush. They are 

 finally soaked in a 1 : 1000 bichloride of mercury solution for three 

 minutes. Another method which gives good results is as follows : Skin 

 of operator is scrubbed for five minutes with green soap and brush, 

 then washed in chloride of lime and carbonate of soda in proportions 

 to make a good lather; washed off in sterile water, and then scrubbed 

 with brush in warm bichloride solution 1 : 1000. 



Sterilized rubber gloves are now being used more and more in opera- 

 tions. The gloves can be sterilized by being left for one minute in boil- 

 ing 1 per cent, soda solution, or they can be sterilized by steam. 



The surgeon's gowns and caps are sterilized by steam. Mucous 

 membranes, as those of the mouth and throat, are cleansed by a solu- 

 tion consisting of equal parts of peroxide of hydrogen and lime-water. 

 In the nostrils it is better to employ the milder solutions, such as diluted 

 Dobell's or Listerine. These are also used in the mouth instead of the 

 peroxide. 



The vagina is swabbed out thoroughly with sterile warm soap and 

 water, and then irrigated with a 2 per cent, carbolic acid or a 1 : 1000 

 bichloride of mercury solution. 



Hypodermic syringes and other syringes when not boiled are steril- 

 ized by drawing up into them boiling water a number of times and then 

 finally a 5 per cent, solution of carbolic acid, the acid after three minutes 

 to be washed out by boiling water. If cold water is used the carbolic 

 solution should remain in the barrel for ten minutes. Great care should 

 be taken to wash out all possible organic matter before using the car- 

 bolic acid or boiling to sterilize. Syringes made entirely of glass or of 

 glass and asbestos can be boiled in soda solution. 



The Sterilization of Milk. 



Bacteria when allowed to develop in milk produce fermentation 

 (souring) and render the milk unfit to be used as an article of food, 

 especially for infants. Milk as it reaches the city contains enormous 

 numbers of germs, and these will produce fermentation, even though 



